Xchange to host flood fundraiser

Xchange to host flood fundraiser

The Xchange Hotel has announced it will hold a special fundraiser night for the victims of Queensland’s floods.

With Queenslanders set to go through an excruciating clean-up period over the next few weeks and months, the Xchange will hold the appeal on Sunday, January 23, to raise money for the massive re-building task ahead.

Xchange owner Kevin Attwood told the Star Observer he expects to get some big names for the event, as well as local drag acts.

“I think for the [gay] community the important thing is we get in and do our bit like everyone else and recognise it for being what it is, [helping] fellow Australians.

“We want everyone to dig deep … it’s just been terrible,” he said.

Attwood said, like everyone else, he had been affected by the harrowing images in the media of flood victims.

“We all saw the damage of the tsunami overseas, and who would have thought we’d see something in this country, unannounced, and not even from the ocean,” he said.

“Queensland is the fun state, the place we go to to play and get a bit of sun, and now it’s reduced to a mess.
“Whatever we can do to help … it’s going to be hideous cleaning it all up.”

Attwood said all profits from the bar, a bucket collection and door entry (likely to be $5 or a gold coin donation) will go directly to the Queensland Premier’s Flood Relief Fund.

“It’s for everyone, girls, guys, gays, straight … just make sure you bring along lots of money knowing everything’s going to the Premier’s Fund.”

The event will be similar to an event the Xchange ran after the Black Saturday bushfires, which raised $20,000.

“We got an excellent response for the fires and hopefully people will feel the same about the floods,” he said.

SSO Media, publishers of Southern Star Observer and the Sydney Star Observer, was one of the first organisations to offer its services.

“Our community is well-known for its ability to pull together in a time of crisis and our brothers and sisters in QLD need our help now, more than ever,” publisher Scott Abrahams said.

“It is imperative we all pull together and do what we can to raise the money our friends north of the border will need not only for the clean-up, but to pull their lives back together.”

SSO Media has also pledged 10 percent of revenue from next week’s Star Observers to the cause after an SOS from its sister publication in QLD, QNews.

Australia’s only gay and lesbian radio station, JOY 94.9, was also among the first organisations to offer their support.

The fundraiser will start at 6pm and is expected to run until 3am.

Southern Star Observer will be a sponsor of the event.

The GH in St Kilda will also be accepting donations for flood-affected Queenslanders at the bar this weekend.

info: Xchange Hotel, 119 Commercial Rd, South Yarra. Visit www.qld.gov.au/floods

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